Cricket Victoria and Melbourne Cricket Club reach long-term agreement

Nov 25, 2008

Cricket Victoria (CV) and Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) today announced that the two parties, with support from Cricket Australia, had agreed to key terms that will see all international cricket scheduled in Victoria played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) until March 2019.

The majority of interstate cricket will also continue to be played at the famous venue.

Australia will host South Africa in this year’s Boxing Day Test from December 26-30, 2008 and the arrangement ensures that the Melbourne Test, a hallmark event on the Victorian major events calendar, will remain at the MCG.

The current CV/MCC agreement expires in March 2009 and discussions on an extension of this agreement have been ongoing for some time.

“The MCG is one of world cricket’s premier stadiums,” said CV Chairman Geoff Tamblyn. “Cricket Victoria is delighted to continue its long-standing partnership with MCC and in doing so, provide the best opportunity to invest in the growth of our sport in this State over the next ten years.”

“The MCG has been the spiritual home of Australian cricket since the first Test in 1877 and we are delighted that our association with this great game will continue,” said MCC president David Meiklejohn.

“We have invested heavily in cricket facilities within the new northern stand and we believe the MCG is now one of the finest cricket stadiums in the world, both for players and patrons.”